Coolant Temp

[djb383]

Has anyone installed an after-market temp gauge on their Vibe? Just curious about the normal operating temp range. If so, where did you install the sending unit? Thanks. Update: I recently installed an aftermarket temp gauge on my '05 Vibe and have done so on every car and p/u I have owned, including my motorcycle. Most factory gauges, in my opinion, are a joke and the factory gauge on my Vibe is not any different. When the factory gauge first reaches the middle, my aftermarket gauge indicates 125. When my aftermarket gauge reaches 180 (factory t-stat opens), the factory gauge is still in the middle. When my aftermarket gauge reaches 200, the electric cooling fan comes on and the factory gauge is still in the middle. That's 75 degrees unaccounted for by the factory gauge. That's probably why most cars have an idiot light instead of a temp gauge. Like I said, from my experience, most factory gauges are a joke and I want to know what is really going on under the hood with regard to coolant temp.

[Mavrik]

I've just always gone by the stock coolant temp gauge on the dash that says how hot my engine is...

[JohnC]

Have not installed an aftermarket gauge, but I have used my non-contact pyrometer to check the cooling system, AT, and tire temps.The upper hose reads 185, so I would guess the coolant temp is a couple degrees higher than that. Probably pretty darn close to the thermostat. If you watch the factory installed gauge closely while the engine is warming up and afterwards you will see the coresponding temp of your thermostat. I marked mine with a permanet marker so that it is easy to see when/if the cooling system is maxed out and coolant temp is greater than the thermostat. So far it has never gone above the normal indication, even going uphill, AC on and 119 degrees outside.If you want to add an aftermarket gauge you can just tee the factory fitting. On another subject djb383...hooray for TEXAS for the help you all are giving the gulf coast victims.

[jasonvibe]

may gauge goes to almost "3 o'clock" when warmed up. But never goes higher. Even when the fan kicks on when idling for a while. I never notice the gauge moving higher at all. IS THIS NORMAL on these?

[ColonelPanic]

Yes. Normal. They heat up to almost the halfway point on the gauge and stay there. Even on my often too dysfunctional ride, it stays put and I have yet to see it raise past the point in the pic..

[jasonvibe]

thanks C.P. for the quick reply. I see you are showing GT gauges...yes? My 2005 looks a little different. But yes, the same spot...

[ColonelPanic]

Nah, that's just the standard '03 style, my car is of the base variety... The '04+ Vibes physically have the same gauges underneath, but have a different face.

[jasonvibe]

Yours I see actually glow the "pontiac red". The newer gauges, like mine. Just some of the digits are red... really not what I am used to...for a Pontiac. This is my second Pontiac. Thanks again... The Gauge on my '95 Bonneville was super accurate with numbers. No numbers on these. So I guess the Vibe's gauge is sort of useless as the first post stated.

[jasonvibe]

DJB383, do you know where the EOM sender is on these Vibes? Maybe just changing the sender could give the gauge an accurate reading...Anyone know??? I have worked with electronics for 25 years. So I am willing to try anything. There are thousands of us so we all could go online and file a complaint with the NTHSA? to get this fixed for free... www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ or do a search for NTHSA

[JohnC]

Quote, originally posted by djb383 » When the factory gauge first reaches the middle, my aftermarket gauge indicates 125. When my aftermarket gauge reaches 180 (factory t-stat opens), the factory gauge is still in the middle. When my aftermarket gauge reaches 200, the electric cooling fan comes on and the factory gauge is still in the middle. That's 75 degrees unaccounted for by the factory gauge. That is pretty interesting, it sounds like the factory gauge is somewhat buffered to remain in the normal indication range with a + or - 35 degree temperature swing. I haven't seen this using the pyrometer on the upper hose... it is always 185 degrees. Did you install the aftermarket sending unit in the same place as the factory one?

[binary]

They do this because they don't want every uneducated driver calling in or making an appt with a dealer because their car runs hot then cold... even though its just a normal swing in temps. We get the guages for the lowest common drivers.

[djb383]

I'm not sure where the factory sending unit is located, but even if you did change/modify it, the factory gauge has no numbers so it is not telling you anything other than the coolant temp is somewhere between C and H. I didn't intend to alarm anyone with regard to the way the factory gauge displays, just to point out that it does not give a true account of how much the coolant temp will vary under normal operating conditions. I mounted the sending unit for my aftermarket temp gauge in the upper radiator hose.

[binary]

Quote, originally posted by djb383 »I'm not sure where the factory sending unit is located, but even if you did change/modify it, the factory gauge has no numbers so it is not telling you anything other than the coolant temp is somewhere between C and H. I didn't intend to alarm anyone with regard to the way the factory gauge displays, just to point out that it does not give a true account of how much the coolant temp will vary under normal operating conditions. I mounted the sending unit for my aftermarket temp gauge in the upper radiator hose. Alarmed? Nah, I think it's a good mod. I miss the days of having numbers on gauges.

[ColonelPanic]

Quote, originally posted by binary »They do this because they don't want every uneducated driver calling in or making an appt with a dealer because their car runs hot then cold... even though its just a normal swing in temps. We get the guages for the lowest common drivers.Crap! I never for a second thought about that but you're absolutely right... I noticed a lot of fluctuation on the previous two cars (the two before that didn't have no steenkin' temp gauges!) If I let the car idle for a minute or two, such as being stopped at a light and especially during the summer, the gauge would always creep up. The Vibe struck me as weird seeing how constant it remained but I just figured that was normal and the other cars had problems. Come to find out, the other cars were just being honest with me, whereas the Vibe is apparently being a liar!

[djb383]

An aftermarket gauge just tells it like it is. Joatman was kind enough to post the temp settings from the shop manual in which the computer turns the Vibe coolant fan on and off (181 off and 199 on). My aftermarket gauge seems to be spot on with these numbers.

[jasonvibe]

I don't mind the factory gauge because the canadian cars have a numbered gauge in Celcius. At Least that's what the manual shows. I think it goes 40c at the bottom to 120c at the top which in general equals 100F and 250F. So the middle with the proper sender would be about 180F. A guy on the Matrix site did see his gauge shoot to the top. Possibly due to a stuck thermostat. Then when he turned the heat on it dropped in an instant. I believe there is an internal switch in the sender that kicks in when things get really hot say 240F and shoots the gauge up and turns the check engine light on. But this poor guy may have damaged his engine. Me, I just need someone to email or post me a pic of where the sender is located. So I can test it's basic resistance when things are warmed up. Then I'll go to the toyota or Napa guys and have them pull one down so I can check the threads for possible replacement. HEY, how can I get a manual like joatman??? Nice set up djb383...